So, Thursday morning I wake up with chest pains. 

Not classic, pain shooting down your arms chest pains.  More like someone trying to wring out the center of my chest like wringing out a wet wash rag, trying to get the water out.

I had these before, but they always went away rather quickly.  On Thursday, they stayed.

I went to work at 2:30am as normal and tried to work as normal.  But as they stayed with me, I told Bao while we were in make-up getting ready for the show that I might be leaving right after the show.  When I told her why, I got my first sermon of the day about getting to the doctor.

Linda, one of our studio camera operators also insisted that chest pains are nothing to sneeze at and I should get to the doctor right away.

I drove myself to the walk-in and told the nurse behind the counter what was going on.  It was 7:40am.  She said there weren't any doctors there yet, so I had two choices...  Go to the ER or she was going to call an ambulance.  I went to the ER.

When I got there, I told the nurse behind that counter what was going on.  It seemed like a milli-second later, 2-nurses were escorting me to an exam room.  I had one of those heartbeat measuring devices on my finger and an IV in my arm.  Then, the doctor came in and did his thing.

A short time later they were drawing blood and taking x-rays.  Then, I was wheeled to a different floor for a stress test and an ultra-sound of my heart.

Long story short, my heart is just fine.  It turned out to be an acid reflux thing for which I got an OTC medication that worked magic.

I felt really, really stupid and apologized for wasting their time.   I but was repeatedly re-assured by the doctor, nurses medical technicians that I did the right thing.  That they would rather have 90 cases of chest pains that turn out to be nothing instead of 1 that turns out to be a heart attack.

Just like when I had my appendicitis in March, the medical staff at Aspirus Wausau Hospital was outstanding.

Only, they didn't like it when I said even when I go in for just a cold from now on I'm going to tell them I have chest pains, just to get to the front of the line.

Seriously, thanks to everyone who helped me through what was a bit of a scary morning and for not laughing at me when it turned to be acid reflux...  The world's most expensive acid reflux.

J